Großgermanian general election, 2010
The title of this article contains the character 'ß'. Where it is unavailable or not desired, the name may be represented as '''Grossgermanian general election, 2010'.'' The 2010 Großgermanian Reichstag Election, formally the Second General Election in Großgermania, was held on Monday, 4 January 2010, to elect members to the Second Reichstag of Großgermania. The election formed the second elected government of the Empire, and established a precedent for in the country. The election yielded a minority government for the National Unionist Party of Großgermania (NUPG), the only political party in the country. The NUPG found itself in opposition to a growing number of extremist independent candidates who, together with moderate independents, gained 50.26% of Reichstag seats, despite the NUPG winning a majority of the popular vote. The failure of the NUPG to retain a majority of parliamentary seats led to a constitutional challenge being brought before the Supreme Court of Großgermania to allow opposition parties to form, which was subsequently blocked by the Court. Background Under the Constitution of Großgermania, promulgated upon the Empire's unification in 2008, elections for the Reichstag were to occur annually. This contrasted, now and at the time, with many other democratic nations, whose federal governments were often elected for four- or five-year terms. While many politicians decried the annual elections as a waste of money, a general consensus was made by the Germanic Council, the governing body of the Association of Germanic States, that higher-frequency elections were required to compensate for the political power taken away from the populace to implement the autocratic form of government advocated by National Unionism. Following her coup d'état of 21 May 2009, Alexandra von Nassau ordered, under emergency powers, preparations to be made for new elections. During her trial, Alexandra testified that her motivation for this was to attempt to fill the Reichstag with her political supporters via . After her defeat in the Russo-Germanian War, plans for advance elections were immediately discarded by the interim dictatorship of Michael von Preußen before a return to civilian rule was enacted. International observers have accused the Imperial Government of Großgermania of having used these plans to facilitate electoral fraud during a in the Slovak Republic following the July War, intended to ratify the constitutional changes imposed following the Großgermanian declaration of war on and invasion of that country. Despite a high degree of support for Michael von Preußen during the Russo-Germanian War, public confidence in National Unionism dropped as people feared its instability. This is believed to have manifested itself in the drop in support for the National Unionist Party during the election. Results The final results, tabulated two days following the election, showed a victory for the National Unionist Party, who won a plurality of Reichstag seats but did not garner a majority. Compared to the 2009 election, in which the NUPG easily won a majority of seats. Critics of the NUPG and the policies of National Unionism claim that this shows a distinct lack of support for the implementation of these policies in Großgermania, despite the fact that the NUPG still won a majority of the popular vote. Although the NUPG won only a minority of seats, it still commands more than 33% of the Reichstag's voting capability, and is therefore able to block a united independent attempt to veto Imperial decrees. Constitutional Challenge Prior to the first Reichstag election, the Supreme Court of Großgermania ruled that the election of a majority government under the National Unionist Party would constitute a ratification of the constitutional provision granting the NUPG the privilege of being the sole legal political party in Großgermania. Following the 2009 elections, in which the NUPG did win a clear parliamentary majority, a question was opened by legal scholars as to whether that privilege would be suspended if the NUPG failed to win a majority in subsequent elections. Its victory with a minority of Reichstag seats in the 2010 election opened the door for numerous independent Reichstag members to petition for the right to reform opposition parties and hold a re-election with a multiparty system. The formal petition to the Supreme Court was made on 7 January, one day following the finalization of election results. In opposition to the motion was the NUPG and the Imperial Government. The Supreme Court considered the petition, and arguments from both sides, and on 18 January returned a decision upholding its initial ruling. Voter Turnout in the election was slightly lower than in the 2009 election, with approximately 92% of the electorate participating in the election. As in the previous election, all citizens were granted a vote, regardless of age. Those under the age of fourteen were allowed to vote only if they petitioned for the right in order to demonstrate their willingness to participate in the democratic process. The voting system was also maintained under 2009 election regulations promulgated by the Office of the Greffier. Timeline ]] *'5 January 2009:' First Reichstag summoned under a NUPG majority. *'22 January 2009:' Imperial Council of Großgermania formed. *'9 March 2009:' The Imperial Council recommends the Office of the Greffier be instructed to maintain fixed election dates. *'20 March 2009:' Emperor Michael von Preußen decrees the first Sunday in January serve as . *'1 April 2009:' The Reichstag vetoes the decree under pressure from Christian lobby groups. *'21 May–7 June 2009:' Alexandra von Nassau is elected Empress after a coup d'état, ruling for 18 days. *'15 October 2009:' The Office of the Greffier confirms Monday, 4 January 2009 as the date of the next election date. *'6 November 2009:' Emperor Michael von Preußen announces a new economic doctrine on behalf of the Witenagemot based on Gross National Happiness. *'4 January 2010:' Election Date. *'6 January 2010:' Results finalized, Second Reichstag summoned. *'7 January 2010:' Numerous independent opposition Reichstag members bring a constitutional challenge before the Supreme Court of Großgermania to allow opposition parties to form. *'18 January 2010:' The Supreme Court rules against the plaintiffs, upholding its original ruling banning opposition parties. Category:Government and Politics of Großgermania Category:Elections